[FX.php List] Ajax & server load?

[Joel Shapiro]

Hi all

I'd love your feedback on how my intended use of Ajax might affect  
server load & performance:

  - A <table> with 24 cells (4x6)
  - Each cell has 2-15 links (120-150 total) that onMouseOver call to  
the DB for record details (as a tooltip)
  - Each link when clicked edits the DB and reloads the respective  
cell via Ajax

Basically, this is for users to select one option in each cell.   
Mousing over any option shows details.  Clicking an option edits a  
record in FM via Ajax.  I like the idea that changes are instant and  
the user doesn't need to click a Submit button for the whole page.   
And I like that this way I can do various checks on each selection  
before editing the record, e.g. to make sure that option hasn't  
already been selected in another cell.

However, I'm wondering if all these small hits to the DB will be a  
problem when more than a few users are using the site at once.

  - Probably not more than 30 or so users at a time, but in theory  
could be more (but not 100s)
  - 1-machine configuration (FMSA(8) & WPE), running on a new Mac  
Mini (not sure of the RAM)


Do you think this setup will be too slow in production?

If so, would it help much to move the record details that display on  
mouseOver into static content, since they won't be changing often in  
the DB?  Or is a hit to the server pretty much the same whether to  
the DB or to static content?  (& what would be the best way to make  
static content?  Bring those 100+ records into one large php array  
and grab each via a GET?  Create 100+ php pages on the server?   
Other...?)

Or do you think a Web 1.0 site with radio buttons and a Submit Whole  
Page button is preferable? (yuck)


All thoughts much appreciated.

TIA,
-Joel